Photo: architectural monuments, Perlov Tea House on Myasnitskaya Street, Moscow

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Perlov Tea House on Myasnitskaya: fragrant tea behind the elegant facade

Architectural Monuments

The three-story late Renaissance mansion on Myasnitskaya Street in Moscow, Perlov Tea House, was erected in 1893 especially for the Moscow merchant, a representative of the fourth generation of the Moscow tea merchants, Sergei Vasilyevich Perlov. The lower floor was occupied by a large tea shop, the second one was rented out, and there were rooms of Perlov himself on the third floor.

A few years after the opening of the store the owner decided to decorate the facade of the mansion with the Oriental-style decor. So he intended to attract the attention of a major Chinese official who was expected to pay a visit to the capital city at that time. The facade of Perlov Tea House was decorated with stucco figures of dragons, snakes, Chinese lanterns and umbrellas, and a two-story pagoda was arranged on the roof. The famous guest did not visit the tea house on Myasnitskaya Street. However, the unusually spectacular façade became an excellent advertisement for the store. After the revolution of 1917 the upper floors of Perlov Tea House were occupied by communal apartments, but tea and coffee were still traded on the first floor. Unfortunately, during the existence of the USSR the building was never repaired, therefore in 1990 it was in a sad sight. Fortunately, the great granddaughter of the first owner of the building managed to ensure the authorities to start a full-scale restoration of the building. In the process of repairing the lost polychrome painting and decoration of the facade were restored, the gilding and ceiling paintings of the trading hall were updated, and the original display cabinets and other interior items were put in order. In 2012 the unusually elegant Perlov House again became an ornament of the old Myasnitskaya Street. Today one can visit it both as a shop and a museum at the same time to admire the stunning facade and interior decoration, to enjoy the aroma of coffee and tea, and certainly to buy a few miniature porcelain tea-pots with elite tea.

Perlov Tea House on Myasnitskaya: fragrant tea behind the elegant facade

Restaurants